Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-12-01
W0RSHIPPING THE DEVIL.


/ mucous Kites anu Rituals of the HinduStan
csc Witehcmft Galore.
In no part of the world at the present
time Is the belief in demonology, or devil
lore, and witchcraft so widely prevalent
as among the native population of Eng.
lands Eastern Empire, says writer il
the San Francisco Examiner. Through
Che length and breadth of Hindustan
worshippers of the devil are to be found
forming numerous scots whose doctrines
are essentially similar, whether they in.
habit the Coromaudel coast the High
lands of Central India or the borders OF
Afghanistan. Between these widely
divergent points of the great Indian Pen
insula there cannot have been for ages.
if there ever had been, much intercom-
munication of the people, who are in
many instances ethnoog different
and speak language entirely foreign to
each other.
The fundamental doctrine OF the devil
worshippers' creed, rs gathered by the
writer III conversation with members
of the sect in various parts of Hindustan
is that it is improper, if not actually
blasphemous. for human beings TO offer
prayer VIZ NhNAAANt W HlVNiAiAAt " AiNiut-
ty whose meroiful and forgiying benigni
ty is inconceivably beyond all his other
attributes, and who could not, even If he
would, do aught that is iiimioal TO the
present or future happiness, spiritual or
material, of beings created after his own
image and loved with an undyiGg and inn
measurable love. With all the subtlety
of thought ana Illogical mental cunning
incidental to he oriental intellect, they
will xpouud in verbose and highly i'm.
aginative language the grounds ON which
are based the reas onings that warrant he
lief in their creed. TO the devil, as the
omnipotent incarnation OF evil they at
tribute essentials which are plausibly
advanced to give color.to the oectrines
of their sect. Shaitan, as Satan Is named
in HindustaR is, according to his wor-
shippers, inordinately egotiatical, and
they, with the hope of gaining his good
favor in their behalf, hatter him by the
most elaborate ceremunials and feryid
prayers, conducted with all the surround
ings incidental to Eastern pageantries,
religious aud otherwise.
The ritual OF dsyil-worship, as well as
the tenets of the creed, modify consider
ably, according TO the varying conditions
Climatic and geographical, which OBJ.
tain from the perpetuallys now-clad Him
a,ayas TO the torrid regions OF Cape Com
Grin and along TO the equatorial line,
The doctrine of devil worship is not con.
fined to the low or illiterate classes of the
people. IL prevails more or less extern
siveiy among those oriental intellectual
4 no, rnaH ha int nf Mann
in the original and discuss abstruse theo-
logical apd metaphysical theories in San
scrit. To the mind of the WHY Hindoo
and the bodily effeminate, but mentally
active followers Of the Prophet, occult
teachings of the most visionary school
have always had an irresistible faeoina
ton and the spread of European civiliza
tion and the Introduction of the English
educational system has increased rather
than diminished the oriental fondness foi
semi-comatose speculation in the realm.
OF religious thought.
Witchcraft also pred0minates TO nm ex
traordinary extent among the Ignorant
classes, which means nine-tenths of th'
population, and the entire social life boil
of Hindoos and Mussulmans in the mo
! fused or country districts is strongly i'm
! pregnated with the doctrines of devi
worship and belief in witches and witch
lore and all the superstitions which sur
round the recognized profession of thu
black art. Necromanoers and adopts IL
divination are numerous, and their per
sons are held Ms sacred and their super
natural powers are acknowledged by th'
people as If they were recognized tench
ers Of the religion Of Brahma or Mollaht
expounding the laws of the Koran.